Minnesota Vikings Trade Rumors

Report: Vikings showing interest in cornerback Stanford Routt
February 11
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Alert: The Vikings need help in their secondary. And a lot of it. This is not breaking news. But the team may have a chance to address that need sooner than expected with the Raiders releasing cornerback Stanford Routt on Thursday. According to a report on ESPNDallas.com, Routt's agent Vann McElroy has identified five teams with early interest in the 28-year-old corner. The Vikings are one of them. McElroy said Routt is scheduled to take visits to Tennessee and Buffalo with the Chiefs and Cowboys also expressing interest."
Vikings say no to new Ramsey County plan
February 11
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Minnesota Vikings rejected Ramsey County's revamped stadium financing plan on Friday, making that three strikes for the county's attempts regarding the prospective Arden Hills site. "Our view is the earlier proposals were more viable," Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said after Ramsey County officials presented their new plan to Gov. Mark Dayton. Previous plans relied on countywide sales, food and beverage tax increases to fund the local share of the $1.1 billion stadium in Arden Hills. Legislators disliked the tax increases, so Ramsey County officials drew up a "user-fee" concept in their third effort. As the Vikings swatted away Ramsey County's proposal, Dayton knocked the"
Can Vikings find No. 1 receiver in free agency?
February 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Giants are living in some kind of dream world right now. It's a place where one can give up 400 points, be outscored during the regular season and still end up in the Super Bowl with another Tom Coughlin-coached team that's peaking at exactly the right time (BTW, can we officially stop putting this poor man on the hot seat every time the Giants lose a game?) It's also a world where an undrafted receiver (Victor Cruz) spends his rookie season as an invisible practice squad player before catching 82 passes for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns as a 25-year-old second-year pro. Now that's a place the receiver-challenged Vikings would love to visit. It's doubtful the Vikings have a practice"
Steve Hutchinson plans to keep playing, but do Vikings want him?
January 24
ESPN.com
 
"Steve Hutchinson apparently has decided he wants to play one more NFL season. Now the question is, do the Minnesota Vikings want him? Hutchinson, 34, has suffered season-ending injuries two consecutive years -- a broken thumb in 2010 and a concussion in 2011 that left his future up in the air. But like teammate Husain Abdullah, who said on Monday he plans to resume his career after being cleared by two concussion specialists, Hutchinson has decided to press on. "He's doing fine," coach Leslie Frazier said, shortly after the North team wrapped up its first practice of Senior Bowl week."
If Spags comes, would Vikings want Castillo?
January 15
CSN Philly
 
"By this point, you've heard all the rumors and reports about Steve Spagnuolo coming back to Philly to be the Eagles' defensive coordinator. It hasn't happened yet (Andy Reid was on vacation this past week) but it still seems like it would make sense. If it does happen, the Eagles will have another decision to make. They'll have to decide what to do with Juan Castillo. They could fire him or they just move him into another spot in the organization. But 1500ESPN Twin Cities' Tom Pelissero offers another solution. Maybe the Eagles would let Castillo leave and join another team, perhaps the Vikings."
Rick Spielman working 'til the midnight hour
January 14
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Rick Spielman sat comfortably in his Winter Park office Friday, exuding an eagerness that everyone within the Vikings organization has grown familiar with. Ten days into his new role as general manager, Spielman has been working tirelessly to transform the Vikings' miserable recent past into an optimistic vision for the future. The win-loss record from the past two seasons -- 9-23 --is a sobering reminder of just how far the Vikings have fallen into the NFL valley. And now the pressure has built inside Spielman's office with his role expanded and his voice now holding the most authority when it comes to what the Vikings will do with their roster. "I'm excited about the opportunity to be"
Vikings' strange search for defensive coordinator still not done
January 13
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Mel Tucker is staying put in Jacksonville. Simple as that. Interviewed earlier this week as a potential candidate to become the Vikings' new defensive coordinator, Tucker has instead opted to remain in the same role with the Jaguars, uniting with new Jacksonville head coach Mike Mularkey. Mularkey was hired by the Jaguars on Tuesday night and wasted little time in his efforts to retain Tucker. And for Tucker the reasons to stay put ultimately outweighed the chance to take on a new opportunity in the Twin Cities. After all, he has greater familiarity with the Jaguars' personnel and will most likely be allowed to continue building on the system he has installed in Jacksonville. This past"
Vikes request to interview Tucker for defensive coordinator role
January 10
NFL.com
 
"The Minnesota Vikings are interested in interviewing Mel Tucker for their defensive coordinator position, according to league sources. Tucker served as Jacksonville's defensive coordinator and then interim head coach this season following Jack Del Rio's dismissal, but his contractual ties to the Jaguars are up Tuesday and he is free to talk to other teams."
Report: Vikings to interview Raheem Morris for 'high-level' defensive job
January 6
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The latest coaching news suggests the Vikings might not be overhauling the defensive scheme after a 3-13 finish - at least not yet. The Vikings will interview former Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris, who was fired Monday after a 17-31 record in three seasons in Tampa Bay, for a "possible high-level defensive coaching position," according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Morris is a disciple of the Bucs' Tampa 2 scheme, a variation of the cover 2 scheme run by Vikings coach Leslie Frazier. Morris reportedly met with the Washington Redskins this week and will meet with Vikings brass - likely Frazier and newly appointed general manager Rick Spielman - for a job as defensive coordinator or assistant"
Sources: Vikes to talk to Raheem Morris
January 6
ESPN.com
 
"Raheem Morris, who was fired Monday as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will interview with the Minnesota Vikings on Friday for a high-level position on their defensive staff, according to league and team sources. Morris was en route to Minneapolis on Thursday from Washington, D.C., where he met with the Redskins regarding a defensive backs coaching job, the sources said. Morris will meet with Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and newly named general manager Rick Spielman to discuss a possible job as defensive coordinator or assistant head coach/defense."
Leslie Frazier: 'No uncertainty' about job security
December 30
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"With one game remaining in his first full season as Minnesota Vikings head coach, Leslie Frazier says there is "no uncertainty" with his job security. Frazier talks with ownership - namely, owner Zygi Wilf and president Mark Wilf - daily and "nothing has changed," he told reporters today. When asked whether he has privately inquired to the Wilfs about his status for 2012, Frazier said, "Why would I ask that? Is there a reason why I would question that? No.""
Ponder back at practice, expected to start Sunday
December 29
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"After suffering a concussion on Christmas Eve in Washington, Christian Ponder was cleared to return to practice today and is in line to make his 10th consecutive start when the Vikings host the Bears on Sunday at Mall of America Field. Following a productive practice, Ponder met with reporters and revealed that he had scored well on the post-concussion tests issued by the team and the NFL to determine whether a player is fit to return to action. "I feel good today," Ponder said. "I had a slight headache Saturday night. But by Sunday and Monday I was feeling fine. I saw the neurologist yesterday and he cleared everything. And I passed all my baseline tests. I guess I actually scored higher"
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier assured he will be back in 2012
December 14
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Leslie Frazier has a 5-14 record over two seasons as Vikings head coach Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has been assured he will return next season, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Pioneer Press. Despite a 5-14 record as head coach dating to his interim stint at the end of the 2010 season, Frazier is expected to enter the second year of his three-year contract with the arduous task of rebuilding the Vikings, who, at 2-11, appear poised to finish with the worst record in franchise history. The Vikings host the New Orleans Saints (10-3) at noon Sunday in the Metrodome. In a story published Dec. 5, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf told the Star Tribune that Frazier will "definitely""
Rybak's stadium plan draws City Council opposition
December 9
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak went face to face with the City Council on Thursday to drum up support for his Vikings stadium plan, but he found some vocal opponents. A near-majority of council members said Thursday that they were opposed to the mayor's plan to fund a new stadium using existing city sales taxes, and only President Barb Johnson was willing to support it publicly. The hearing was the first time Rybak formally presented his stadium funding proposal to the body. "There's a window of opportunity for us to do some big things," Rybak said. "And I do think it's in the bottom-line interest of the city." Rybak's plan to cover the city's $300 million share of a stadium involves"
Peterson, Ponder uncertain to play because of injuries
December 9
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Adrian Peterson was back at practice Thursday. Christian Ponder was not. Where that leaves the Vikings offense heading into Sunday's game in Detroit is anybody's guess. Both players could be ready for action. Equally possible: Neither Peterson nor Ponder plays against the Lions. In that regard, Friday's practice will now be a major measuring stick for coach Leslie Frazier as he weighs his options with both players. Peterson has been out because of a high ankle sprain since the first quarter of the Vikings' Week 11 loss to the Raiders. Thursday marked his first practice since suffering the injury. And Frazier sensed the star running back feeling more comfortable with his cutting. "He's"
Adrian Peterson says he's about 70 percent, wants to play Sunday
December 7
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Will Adrian Peterson be back on the field Sunday when the 2-10 Vikings play in Detroit? Should he be? Depends on who you ask. Peterson joined Dan Barreiro and special guest Chuck Foreman on Tuesday evening at the Mall of America for a fascinating meeting of the minds that was broadcast on KFAN. The full interview, available here, had two Viking greats -- past and present -- discussing the art of running the football. But when it came to Peterson's injury status, let's just say that Foreman and Peterson don't see eye to eye on how to handle things. Asked if he would play Sunday, Peterson acknowledged his eagerness to get back into action as soon as possible even with the high ankle sprain"
Wilf says Frazier will be back next year
December 5
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Vikings owner Zygi Wilf made it clear on Sunday that Leslie Frazier will return as coach next season despite the team's record falling to 2-10 with the 35-32 loss to the Denver Broncos. "Leslie will definitely be back next year," Wilf said. Wilf also said there might be some evaluation of the coaching staff, but he indicated that he didn't see any changes happening unless Frazier asked for changes. The media have been pushing for Wilf to name a full-time general manager for the Vikings, but if Wilf is planning to make any changes in the football administrative staff headed by Rick Spielman, he didn't say. He has said he is satisfied with the way the football operation is being run. Wilf"
Percy Harvin will play today
December 4
Pro Football Talk
 
"With running back Adrian Peterson out for Sunday's showdown with Tebowmania, the Vikings desperately need receiver Percy Harvin, if they will have any hope of establishing the kind of lead that Tim Tebow and the Broncos won't be able to overcome. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Harvin will play — even though he is listed as questionable with an illness. Harvin missed practice on Friday."
Adrian Peterson could miss another week
December 4
Pro Football Talk
 
"As the Vikings try to avoid their first ever 2-14 season, they could be without running back Adrian Peterson for at least one more game beyond Week 13. Per a league source, the high ankle sprain suffered by Peterson could keep him on the sidelines for next Sunday's game against the Lions. Peterson suffered the injury on November 20 against the Raiders. It looked much worse than it ended up being, but it has been bad enough to keep him on the sidelines for two weeks and counting."
When coaches get fired this year, who will replace them?
December 4
Pro Football Talk
 columnist Mike Florio
"Nearly a third of all NFL head-coaching jobs could become vacant after the 2011 season. In addition to the Jaguars, teams that could (emphasis "could") make a change presently include, in no particular order other than the order in which I scan through the league's eight divisions, the Dolphins, Colts, Chiefs, Chargers, Giants, Eagles, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Rams. So who will replace these coaches? Beyond Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and Jeff Fisher, there aren't many (any) obvious candidates. Let's consider the three categories from which head coaches typically emerge: former NFL head coaches, current NFL assistant coaches, and college head coaches. Former NFL head coaches: In the hopes"
Vikings-to-L.A. move wouldn't be easy
December 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Even though the Vikings have never actually threatened to leave the Twin Cities, the chilling possibility of relocation has long shadowed their campaign for a new stadium. Owner Zygi Wilf has pledged, practically from the day his family took over the team in 2005, that he wouldn't move the Vikings. That doesn't mean the Wilfs couldn't sell the team to someone who might want to leave for more lucrative stadium digs -- say, in Los Angeles, where two stadium plans are forging ahead. But moving the Vikings wouldn't be an easy sell, sports business experts say. The NFL's elaborate relocation process -- splashed over six pages on its media website -- and the league's avowed interest in"
Vikings claim quarterback Sage Rosenfels off waivers
December 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"A day after waiving Donovan McNabb, the Vikings have found themselves a familiar replacement to fill out their depth chart at quarterback. This afternoon, the team's waiver claim for Sage Rosenfels was processed. Just like that, they again have themselves a fill-in to handle scout team snaps for the rest of the season. Rosenfels was waived by the Dolphins on Thursday. He had been signed by Miami in early October but was placed on their reserve/non-football injury list as he continued recovering from a blood infection he had contracted while dealing with strep throat during training camp with the Giants late in the summer. Now, he will return to Minnesota, where he was a third-stringer"
Vikings' Peterson keeps options open for Broncos tilt
December 1
NFL.com
 
"Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson sat out another practice Thursday with a high ankle sprain and told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that he expects to be a game-time decision for this weekend's tilt against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. Peterson missed all three practices last week following a left ankle injury sustained in the Vikings' Week 11 loss to the Oakland Raiders. Peterson remained hopeful he could play last weekend against the Falcons, but the Vikings ruled him out the day before the game causing him to miss his first action since December 2010."
Reports: Vikings to release Donovan McNabb today
December 1
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Donovan McNabb's time in Minnesota has come to an end. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Vikings plan to release McNabb later this afternoon, bringing to a close an uneventful run in the Twin Cities. The Vikings traded for McNabb in late-July with head coach Leslie Frazier believing his team had an opportunity to make a run at a playoff berth. But McNabb's stint as the starter was far from encouraging. The Vikings' sputtered out to a 1-5 start. And McNabb saw his last action in the third quarter of Week 6 during a demoralizing 39-10 loss in Chicago. Frazier replaced McNabb with rookie Christian Ponder in the fourth quarter of that game and named Ponder the starter for the rest of the"
McNabb not coming to the Texans
December 1
Houston Chronicle
 
"ESPN is reporting Minnesota quarterback Donovan McNabb will be waived today. For all the Texans fans wondering if they'll claim him, the answer is no. They're set at quarterback, at least for now. They don't have enough money available under the cap to claim McNabb, who'd cost $1.5 million. They like the threesome they have now."
Season is over for four Vikings
November 30
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Vikings spent their off day Tuesday making a bevy of roster moves in which they shut down several key players with five games left in a disastrous season. Wide receiver Michael Jenkins (knee), safety Husain Abdullah (concussion), safety Tyrell Johnson (hamstring) and long snapper Cullen Loeffler (lower back) were placed on injured reserve. The biggest name among the free-agent replacements is safety Jarrad Page, a six-year NFL veteran who has 247 tackles and 12 interceptions with the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles."
Peterson expects to play vs. Falcons
November 24
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who suffered a serious high ankle sprain during the Vikings' 27-21 loss to the Raiders, said Wednesday he expects to play against the Falcons on Sunday. Peterson, who was in a walking boot but not limping Wednesday, expects to practice by Friday and be ready to go Sunday. The final decision on whether Peterson will play will be made by coach Leslie Frazier, who didn't dispute what Peterson said. X-rays taken after the game and an MRI on Monday were encouraging, which means Peterson won't be out too long. He said he actually wanted to go back in the game on Sunday. "I just got my ankle caught up on a defender and it got twisted up pretty bad," Peterson"
Peterson's sprain may be minor, but impact will be major
November 22
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Adrian Peterson's final run Sunday proved to be vintage "All Day." Except that it resulted in a shortened afternoon. First came a dash to the hole, then a cyclone spin to avoid congestion on the left side of the line. Another burst of acceleration left Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley holding nothing but Peterson's right shoe. Yet as the Vikings running back was yanked to the turf a second later, his left ankle rolled up under Oakland's Michael Huff. Just like that, an impressive 12-yard run morphed into a nightmare scenario for the Vikings. First, Peterson struggled just to limp back to the sideline. Soon after he was carted off Mall of America Field. On Monday afternoon, Peterson left"
Vikings' Peterson suffers high ankle sprain
November 21
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Adrian Peterson's status for the next few weeks is in jeopardy. An MRI this morning revealed the Minnesota Vikings running back suffered a Grade 1 high ankle sprain with "a little bit of ligament damage" against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, coach Leslie Frazier said at his press conference today. Peterson left the Raiders game late in the first quarter after getting his left foot stuck in the turf and turning over his ankle after Raiders safety Michael Huff attempted a tackle. Peterson will wear a protective boot for the next few days and could begin light football activity as early as Friday, Frazier said."
Adrian Peterson says sprained ankle won't keep him down
November 21
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Despite trainers driving him off the field on a cart Sunday, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has no plans to miss significant time because of his ankle injury. "That's not in my DNA," Peterson said after the Vikings lost 27-21 to Oakland. "I'm going to try to get back as fast as I can and God willing, I'll be up and ready to run this weekend." The scary image of Peterson limping off the field and heading to the training room caused a collective inhale from Vikings fans after the All-Pro running back twisted his left ankle on a 12-yard run with 57 seconds left in the first quarter. His ankle pulled backward as Raiders safety Michael Huff attempted a tackle. Peterson relieved that"
X-rays negative on Adrian Peterson's ankle
November 21
Pro Football Talk
 
"The bad news for the Vikings is that they continue to trail the Raiders by more than double digits. The good news is that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has no broken bones in his ankle. X-rays were negative, per a league source. And that's a positive for Peterson."
Trading Peterson isn't a far-fetched notion
November 20
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Warning: What you're about to read could cause incessant laughter and eye-rolling so severe you might be mistaken at Thanksgiving for Michele Bachmann. Before proceeding, please grab a chair. OK. Here goes. The Vikings need to trade Adrian Peterson. Soon. While he still has premium value. To be clear, this is not my suggestion. I, too, have experienced laughter pains and headaches of disbelief just hearing those words. So why does that recommendation keep surfacing from a horde of disgruntled but oh-so-serious Vikings fans? The proponents of the "Pitch Peterson" campaign insist they're not shouting without thinking. Some express sympathy for Peterson. Why let one of the game's all-time"
Sapp a possible addition at corner
November 16
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Vikings spent Tuesday preparing to move forward without cornerback Antoine Winfield, who is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to repair a fractured clavicle Wednesday. As Winfield was being placed on injured reserve, coach Leslie Frazier said the team was weighing its options between a veteran who would have a better chance of helping the team immediately and a younger player who could be groomed to possibly help out beyond this season. If it's the former, the likely alternative is Benny Sapp, who was expected to visit Tuesday night. The 30-year-old former Viking, who was with the team in 2008 and 2009, has been out of work since being released by the Dolphins after an"
Wilf says Vikings committed to stadium in Arden Hills, nowhere else
November 12
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf emphasized Friday in a letter to Gov. Mark Dayton that he's committed to building a football stadium in Arden Hills - and only in Arden Hills. Wilf said the $400 million or more that he and the NFL are willing to dedicate to a $1.1 billion stadium is site-specific. If the state chooses Minneapolis or another location for the new stadium, the money won't follow. "The Vikings' private investment of more than $400 million is specific to the Arden Hills location because of the opportunities that exist with that site," he wrote. "Any other location would not justify anywhere near the level of commitment we have made in Arden Hills." The rest of the funding was"
Vikings stadium talks not dead yet
November 4
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Trying to restart momentum on a Vikings stadium deal, Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative supporters said Thursday they will try again for a special session, possibly by late January. The DFL governor was joined by the two leading Republican sponsors of the stadium bill one day after Dayton said a special session before Thanksgiving was no longer possible, largely because of opposition by GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers. "We'll keep moving forward," Dayton said after the meeting. But, he said, the responsibility would now fall to Republican leaders to put together a plan that could win legislative approval. Dayton had planned to release his own proposal on Monday. "It's counterproductive for"
Frazier: Resolution coming Monday in Chris Cook saga
November 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"What in the world will happen with Chris Cook? That may be the biggest behind-the-scenes question facing the Vikings organization this week as they enjoy their midseason bye. So now comes yet another major decision for Leslie Frazier and his staff with the front office certain to weigh in. What matters more: Talent or character? Upside on the football field or civilized conduct off of it? This afternoon, while joining Dan Barreiro for a one-on-one interview on KFAN, Frazier said a decision of some sort on the Cook front will come Monday. "We're going to have a resolution as to what direction we're going to go," Frazier said. "And we'll talk about it then.""
Vikings will 'talk about' whether to cut suspended cornerback Chris Cook
November 1
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The Vikings open the bye week with a tough decision on cornerback Chris Cook, who faces felony charges for domestic assault by strangulation after an Oct. 22 arrest in his Eden Prairie home. Cook is suspended indefinitely without pay. The coaching staff soon must decide whether to take further action, possibly releasing the promising 24-year-old cornerback. When asked Monday if Cook could be released, coach Leslie Frazier said, "We've got a lot of things to talk about." "We're actually going to sit down and discuss that this afternoon, see what direction we're going to be heading," Frazier said. "A lot of it has to do with what the league says and so on, but we've got a lot of things to"
Adrian Peterson has a career day as receiver in Vikings' win
October 31
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Adrian Peterson has had plenty of career rushing performances, but Sunday included a different superlative. Peterson's 76 receiving yards were a career high as the Vikings deployed their explosive running back in more innovative ways during their 24-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He caught five passes, including a 19-yard touchdown from Christian Ponder, as Peterson gashed Carolina for 162 combined yards and a pair of scores. "They kept dropping deep and leaving him open, and we kept taking it," Ponder said. "I will take that all day.""
Vikings will have WR Harvin on field when they meet Panthers
October 30
NFL.com
 
"Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin will play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reports, citing a source with knowledge of the situation. Harvin has been dealing with a rib injury. He was officially listed as questionable."
A city in waiting, L.A. works hard on returning to NFL
October 30
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"While Minnesota grinds it out at midfield in its attempt to hold on to the Minnesota Vikings, pro-football-deprived Southern California believes it has the end zone in sight. With a population five times that of the Twin Cities, the Los Angeles region is finally getting serious about building a football palace and wooing a National Football League team to either a sports-and-entertainment mecca downtown or atop a vacant hillside in the aptly named City of Industry. It's not time for Minnesotans to panic, but the historical parallels are scary. The downtown site would be privately funded and next to the home of the basketball Lakers, a team Los Angeles snatched a half-century ago -- from"
Vikings stadium talks continue, but no decisions yet
October 29
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders met privately for more than two hours Friday but reported no agreements on a new Vikings stadium. "We didn't take anything off the table. We talked about options. We didn't make any decisions. It's all part of the process of refining the various proposals," the Democratic governor said at a news conference with Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, and House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove. Asked about Dayton's proposal for a special legislative session before Thanksgiving to deal with the stadium issue, Koch said: "I wouldn't say that we're ready for that at this point. That is the governor's call, and we're just going to"
Rybak: Not too late for Minneapolis site for Vikings
October 28
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Making his most intensive attempt yet to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis, Mayor R.T. Rybak went to the State Capitol on Thursday to promote three plans that rely on a combination of new sales taxes or casino gambling revenue to pay for the local share of a downtown football stadium. He acknowledged that getting political backing for his plans will be tricky. "I'm here today because I'm comfortable standing up, and putting my neck and other parts of my anatomy on the line," he said. In a testament to how difficult his task may be, Rybak made his Capitol pitch alone -- without no City Council members or downtown leaders by his side. And just hours before Rybak touted his plans,"
Vikings suspend Cook without pay after charges filed
October 26
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"The Minnesota Vikings suspended starting cornerback Chris Cook without pay Tuesday, after the top draft choice was charged earlier in the day with felony domestic assault of his girlfriend. According to the charges filed in Hennepin County District Court, Cook, 24, tried to choke the woman during a dispute in his Eden Prairie home early Saturday. He posted bail of $40,000 and was released Tuesday afternoon from the Hennepin County jail, where he had been held since his arrest. His first court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Team spokesman Jeff Anderson called the allegations against Cook "very disturbing and disappointing. At this time, he is suspended without pay from the"
Report: Berrian released by Vikings
October 25
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Bernard Berrian's time as a Viking has run out. According to Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com, the veteran wide receiver will be released by the team today, midway through his fourth season in the Twin Cities. The move brings to a close Berrian's wildly inconsistent tenure with the Vikings and allows coach Leslie Frazier to move forward without a player that had caused him too many headaches this season. Expected to be a big part of the Vikings' passing attack this fall, Berrian's productivity slumped badly in the early season. He had only two catches for 37 yards in the team's 0-4 start. He's also been put on the inactive list twice in the past three weeks."
Reports about Donovan McNabb being lazy 'ridiculous,' says Vikings coach Leslie Frazier
October 25
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"During his news conference Monday, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier touched on the encouraging play of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder in Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers, the deactivation of wide receiver Bernard Berrian, the groin kick by defensive end Brian Robison. And then he talked to me about those topics and a few others, including an NFL Network report that laziness played a part in Donovan McNabb being benched. BS: That report about McNabb being lazy - is there anything to it? Did that play into the decision to play Ponder? LF: Ridiculous. Flat-out ridiculous. I don't know where that would come from. I mean, this guy worked his tail off when he was the starting"
Charges against Viking Chris Cook could come today
October 25
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Charges could come Tuesday against Minnesota Viking defensive back Chris Cook, who has been jailed since early Saturday in an alleged domestic assault at his home in Eden Prairie. Cook, 24, remains in the Hennepin County jail as the county attorney's office reviews results of the police investigation it received Monday. Unless an extension is granted, authorities have until noon Tuesday to charge him. Cook was arrested at 2:10 a.m. Saturday at his home in the 6400 block of Regency Lane in Eden Prairie after a neighbor reported yelling and screaming from across the street, according to police."
NFL: Stadium stalemate could open the door to Vikings moving
October 18
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"A top National Football League official, after meeting Tuesday with Gov. Mark Dayton, gently upped the pressure for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium by saying that a political stalemate on the project could mean "opening the door" for the team to move. Eric Grubman, the NFL's executive vice president of NFL Ventures and business operations, said that there was no imminent plan to move the team, and said he was "optimistic and encouraged" after meeting with the governor and DFL and Republican legislators. Grubman's meeting with the governor came a day after Dayton said he wants a special legislative session by Thanksgiving to decide whether the state should contribute financially to a"
Christian Ponder's sports agency: Vikings' rookie QB will start against Packers
October 18
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Christian Ponder will start at quarterback against the Green Bay Packers Sunday at the Metrodome, according to his sports agency. Sports Trust Advisors, which represents Ponder, tweeted the news this afternoon: "Congrats to #Vikings client @cponder7 for earning the start for next week's game." Ponder, who was the 12th overall pick in the draft, completed 9 of 17 passes for 99 yards during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 39-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Ponder takes over for Donovan McNabb, who was 19 of 24 for 177 yards against the Bears. For the season, McNabb is 94 of 156 for 1,026 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Fading fast at"
Don't expect Vikings to make a move with the NFL trade deadline approaching
October 16
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"The NFL's trading deadline is Tuesday, but it would be surprising if the Vikings were in the market for help. That's because the rebuilding Vikings (1-4) are believed to be sellers more than buyers and would be willing to dump players rather than acquire them. One trade possibility for the Vikings would seem to be aging cornerback Antoine Winfield, 34, for a late-round draft pick if not for his injured neck. There's also been chatter that the New England Patriots (4-1), who dumped receiver Randy Moss on the Vikings last year, would be interested in Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, 29, for a first-round draft pick. But that pick probably would be late in the first round, and that's not"